Latching device for food trays

ABSTRACT

A LATCHING DEVICE FOR INHIBITING THEFT OF A FOOD TRAY FOR A DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT IS PROVIDED. THE DEVICE INCLUDES A LATCH MEMBER WHICH CAN BE USED WITH CONVENTIONAL FOOD TRAYS WITHOUT REQUIRING ANY MODIFICATIONS OF THE TRAYS. THE LATCHING DEVICE INCLUDES A LATCH MEMBER HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING BELOW THE UPPER EDGE OF AN ADJACENT SIDEWALL OF A TRAY FOR PREVENTING REMOVABLE OF THE TRAY IN AT LEAST ON DIRECTION AND RETAINING MEANS ADJACENT THE LATCH MEMBER PERMITTING THE TRAY TO BE MOVED THEREUNDER FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE LATCH MEMBER. THE LATCHING DEVICE ALSO IS RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO INSTALL ON A FOOD TRAY SUPPORT.

llited States atet [72] inventor Angelo Boudourls Sylvauia, Ohio [21] AppLNo. 826,811

[22] Filed May 22, 1969 {45] Patented June 28, 1971 [73] Assignee Eprad Incorporated Toledo, Ohio [54] LATCHING DEVICE FOR FOOD TRAYS 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[51] Int. CL A471 3/14, E05b 47/00, E05b 73/00 [50] Field ofSearch 211/133,

Primary Examiner- Ramon S. Britts Attorney-Owen & Owen ABSTRACT: A latching device for inhibiting theft of a food tray for a drive-in restaurant is provided. The device includes a latch member which can be used with conventional food trays without requiring any modifications of the trays. The latching device includes a latch member having a portion extending below the upper edge of an adjacent sidewall ofa tray for preventing removable of the tray in at least on direction and retaining means adjacent the latch member permitting the tray to be moved thereunder for engagement by the latch member. The latching device also is relatively simple to install on a food tray support.

LATCIIING DEVICE FOR FOOD TRAYS This invention relates to theft control apparatus for trays and more particularly to a latching arrangement for a food tray.

Tray-supporting arrangements in drive-in restaurants generally include a menu stand located between two parking spaces with the stand having a center post from which a pair of arms extend, with tray supports mounted on the ends thereof. With menu stands of this type, the food trays commonly simply rest on top of the tray supports, being readily placed thereon and removed therefrom. The food trays are of conventional design, not having the complicated hook and bracket arrangement previously used when the trays were hooked on windows of an automobile door. Consequently, the trays have many household uses and it is common for a drivein restaurant to lose many trays over the course of a year.

It has been found that it is not necessary to actually lock the food trays on the supports to prevent unauthorized removal of the trays by customers. Contrariwise, if means are provided to make the removal of a tray from the support difficult and more obvious to others in the surroundings, a large percentage of the customers who might otherwise feel inclined to slip the tray into the automobile will be inhibited from doing so.

The present invention provides a latching arrangement for a food tray which need not securely lock the tray on the support but can do so if such is desirable. The new latching arrangement has advantages over those shown in US. Pat. No. 3,289,443 and my. U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,543. The locking arrangements for food trays heretofore employed usually have required a special appendage or other modification for the food tray. Where the food tray has not required such modifications, then the locking system employed with the food tray has required a number of components to be attached to the tray support which required time and expense.

Since the food tray latching arrangement embodying the invention can be used with conventional food trays without any modification of the trays, this substantially reduces the expense of the latching arrangement. Further it eliminates protrusions, etc. on the food trays which otherwise get in the way when the trays are being handled, washed, etc., and may cause injury to the handlers. The new latching arrangement also involves but one latching device which is mounted in one position on the food tray support by only one or a few fasteners, preferably at an edge portion thereof away from the automobile ofthe customer.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an improved latching arrangement for a food tray having the advantages and features outlined above.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall view in perspective ofa menu stand embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view, with parts broken away and with parts in section, of a latching device incorporated with the menu stand of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in horizontal cross section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical, transverse cross section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front view in elevation of a slightly modified latching device embodying the invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front view in elevation of a further modified latching device;

FIG. 7 is a front view in elevation, with parts broken away and with parts in section, of another modified latching device embodying the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a view in vertical, transverse cross section taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. I, a menu stand embodying the invention is indicated at 10 and includes a supporting post 12 upon which is mounted a menu housing 14. A menu or bill-of-fare is displayed on each side of the housing 14 for occupants of automobiles driving up to either side of the stand 10. A tray support 16 is mounted on the post 12 through a pair of doubly jointed arms 18, as is known in the art. The arms 18 enable the tray support 16 to be moved from a retracted position close to the menu housing 14 outwardly to a position adjacent the side of the automobile containing the customers. The tray support 16 is designed to hold two trays 20, one for occupants in the front seat of the automobile and one for the back. However, the tray support 16 can also be designed to hold a single tray and be mounted relative to the post 12 by means other than the pair of arms 18.

In accordance with the invention, a latching device 22 is mounted on the tray support 16 for each ofthe trays 20, in this instance. Each of the latching devices 22 basically includes a pivoted latch member 24 and a sturdy housing 26 which can be of cast aluminum, by way of example. The housing 26 pivotally carries the latch member 24 through a suitable pin 28 affixed to a lower backwall 30 of the housing. Below the pivot 28, the housing and specifically the backwall 30 thereof is attached to an edge of the tray support 16 through a pair of fasteners 32. The two fasteners 32 are all that is required to mount the device 22 on the food tray support, no other modification of the support 16 or the latching device 22 being necessary.

The latch member 24 includes a shank 34 carrying the pivot pin 28 and extending upwardly from its pivoted lower end to a latching tab 36 located beyond an offset 38 in the shank. The tab 36 is designed to extend downwardly below the level of the upper edge of sidewalls 40 and 42 of the tray 20 and thereby prevent removal of the tray in a direction toward the automobile and away from the housing 26, as toward the left in FIG. 4. If the associated tray 20 is moved in either longitudinal direction along the tray support 16, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 for example, the tab 36 will be cammed upwardly by cooperation of one of slanted or contoured edges 44 and 46 of the tab 36 and one of the sidewalls 42 of the tray 20. As shown in FIG. 2, when the tray 20 is moved toward the left, the sidewall 40 will engage the edge 44 of the tab 36 and move the tab upwardly in a counterclockwise direction. The particular contour for the edges 44 and 46 will vary somewhat for the type of tray employed and for the manner in which the tab 36 is pivoted. With the proper contour of the tab edge, the tray must not only be moved longitudinally of the support 16 but must be turned slightly when the sidewall 42 reaches the tab edge 44 so that the corner between the sidewalls 40 and 42 engages the edge 44. Since the corner slopes more gradually than either of the adjacent sidewalls 40 and 42, it is more effective in camming upwardly the tab 36. This renders removal of the tray more difficult, although easy for a waitress once she becomes familiar with the technique. In any case, since the trays 20 must be moved longitudinally of the support 16, for removal from the support, such movement of the trays cannot be effected by customers in the automobile without being conspicuous. The alternative is to reach across the tray and manually raise the tab 36 with ones fingers. This is equally conspicuous, however, and is rather difficult, requiring the use oftwo hands. Consequently, the simple latching device 22 embodying the invention inhibits unauthorized removal of the vast majority of the trays which previously had been lost. At the same time, the latching device is relatively simple and inexpensive and, in particular, is capable of being attached to the support 16 quickly and easily. In this regard, it is possible to pivotally mount the latch member 24 on the support 16 without the housing 26. Again, the food tray 20 is of conventional design, requiring no special contour or appendage whatsoever.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a slightly modified latching device 48 is similar to the device 22 but includes a manually operable release. A latch member 50 is pivotally mounted on a backwall of a housing 52, as before, but with a shank of the latch member 50 having a downwardly extending tang 53 forming a step 54. This is engaged by a locking member 56 of L-shaped configuration having a projecting stop 58 and a manual lever 60. The locking member 56 is also pivotally mounted by a pin 62 on the backwall of the housing 52 and is normally urged by gravity to the position shown in solid lines. When in this position, the stop 58 engages the step 54 of the tang 53 and prevents movement of the latch member 50 in a counterclockwise direction, thereby preventing removal of a tray with which the latching member is engaged. When the waitress reaches under the support 16 and moves the lever 60 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown, the stop 58 is spaced from the step 54 and enables the latching member 50 to be raised, as before. Since the manual lever 60 is difficult to reach from an automobile, customers are inhibited from removing trays even though they may be cognizant of the manner in which the locking member 56 functions.

Referring to FIG. 6, a modified latching device 64 is similar to the latching device 52 except that the device is electrically releasable. In this instance, the same latch member 50 can be employed which is held in the latched position by a locking member 66 which includes a stop 68 and a lever 70. The lever 70 is connected through a slot 72 and a pin 74 with a solenoid core or rod 76 extending into a solenoid 78. The solenoid 78 can be connected to the backwall of the housing 52 by means of a flange 80. When the solenoid 78 is energized, it pulls the core 76 in, thereby moving the locking member 66 in a counterclockwise direction and releasing the latching member 50. The solenoid 78 can be energized through any suitably located switch which can also be in the form of a reed relay mounted in the menu housing 14, as taught in my US. Pat. No. 3,362,543. The reed relay can be operated by a magnet worn on the wrist of the waitress, by way of example.

A further modified latching device 82 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The latching device 82 again includes a housing 84 and a latch member 86 but with the latch member 86 now extending out of the housing rather than being substantially pro tected thereby. The latching device 82, again, however, is simply mounted on the tray support 16 by two fasteners 88 extending through a backwall 90 of the housing 84. The latch member 86 has a shank 92 pivoted by a pin 94 to the backwall 90 of the housing and extends through a slot 96 in the housing to an external latching tab 98. The tab 98 again is adapted to extend below the level of the upper edges of the sidewalls 40 and 42 of the tray to prevent removal of the tray until the tab 98 is raised.

When the latch member 86 is in the locking position, a notch 100 in the shank 92 is engaged by a step 102 (P16. 8) of a locking member 104 and is prevented from being raised. The locking member 104 is pivotally mounted in the housing 84 by a pivot rod 106 with the locking member urged toward the shank 92 by a coil spring 108. The locking member 104 is magnetically releasable in this instance by means of a magnet 110 which can be placed against the backwall 90 of the housing 84 which is of a nonmagnetic material such as cast aluminum. When the magnet is in position, it pulls the locking member 104 rearwardly and enables the latch member 86 to be raised for removal of the tray 20. The locking member 104 can be of magnetic material or it can have a backplate 112 of magnetic material.

It will be seen from the above that all of the embodiments of the invention provide a latching device for a food tray which is simple to operate and relatively inexpensive, as well as being easily mounted on an existing food tray support, merely by means of two fasteners. Further, the tray employed with the latching device requires no modification whatsoever, but is simply a conventional tray ordinarily used at drive-in restaurants.

Various modifications of the above-described embodiment ofthe invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, the embodiments shown and described being primarily for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

l claim:

1. Apparatus for supporting a food tray having sidewalls extending upwardly from a bottom, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a food tray support, latching means mounted on said food tray support for engaging a sidewall ofa tray, said latching means comprising a latch member having a portion extending below the level of the upper edge of an adjacent one of the sidewalls of such food tray when on said support, said latch member being effective, in cooperation with such adjacent sidewall, to prevent removal of the tray in at least one direction away from said latching means, means associated with said latching means for raising said latch member to enable removal of said food tray, and retaining means adjacent said latch member, said retaining means having a lower edge portion spaced above the tray support a distance sufficient to enable such adjacent sidewall of the food tray to be moved under said retaining means for engagement by said latch member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means associated with said latching means for raising said latch member constitutes a lower slanted end on said latch member which is cammed upwardly when engaged by one of the tray sidewalls other than the adjacent sidewall as such tray is moved in a direction other than said at least one direction.

3. The combination according to claim 1 and further including releasable means for holding said latch member in the position with the portion of said latch member extending below the level ofthe upper edge ofone ofthe tray sidewalls.

4. Apparatus for supporting a food tray having a sidewall extending upwardly from a bottom and at least one end wall disposed at substantially a right angle to the sidewall, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a food tray support, latching means mounted on said food tray support for engaging the sidewall of a food tray, said latching means having a latch member, means pivotally supporting said latch member from said food tray support to enable said latch member to pivot between a lower position in which an end of said latch member extends downwardly below the level of an upper edge of the sidewall ofa tray and an upper position in which the end of said latch member is above the level of the upper edge of the end wall ofsuch tray, said latching member being effective when in the lower position, in cooperation with the tray sidewall, to prevent removal of a tray in at least the direction normal to the tray sidewall, said latch member being adapted to be pivoted by an external force to the upper position to enable removal of the tray from the food tray support, and retaining means adjacent said latch member, said retaining means having a lower edge portion spaced above said tray'support a distance sufficient to enable the sidewall of a food tray to be moved under said retaining means for engagement by said i latch member. x v

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said latch member is urged to the lower position by gravity.

6. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the end of v said latch member has a slanted portion effective to be cammed upwardly to the upper position when engaged by a I sidewall of the tray.

7. The combination according to claim 6 and further including releasable means associated with said latch member for preventing movement of said latch member by an external force to the upper position.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said I releasable means is magnetically operated.

9. The combination according to claim 7 wherein sad 

